Chainsaw Man Anime Film Outshines Springsteen Biopic and ‘Black Phone 2’ in Box Office Triumph

LOS ANGELES – The cinematic adaptation of the beloved anime “Chainsaw Man” has surged to the top of the North American box office, surpassing both a Bruce Springsteen biopic and the horror sequel “Black Phone 2.”

This achievement marks another triumph for anime films, following closely on the heels of “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle,” which shattered records two months ago with a staggering $70 million debut, setting a new benchmark for anime releases in theaters.

“Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc” seized the number one position by grossing $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada over the weekend, as reported by Comscore. Meanwhile, “Black Phone 2” slipped to second place, gathering $13 million in its sophomore week.

Among the new entries, the romantic comedy “Regretting You” and the Springsteen biopic “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere” garnered $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. Completing the top five was “Tron: Ares,” which earned $4.9 million, according to estimates provided by Comscore.

“Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” offers a standalone cinematic experience drawn from the popular manga series about a demon hunter with chain saws for arms and a head. Combining elements of romance and thrilling action, the film is based on the manga series by Tatsuki Fujimoto, which was adapted into an anime series in 2022.

It’s another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released “Infinity Castle” last month.

“Deliver Me From Nowhere” stars Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen, focusing on the Boss’ struggles while creating his “Nebraska” album, released in 1982. White had to learn to play the guitar and had little singing experience before taking on playing Springsteen, who was involved in the production.

The film earned a B+ score on Cinemascore, while “Chainsaw Man” scored an A from audiences.

“Black Phone 2” stars Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames in the sequel to hit 2021 original. It’s now earned nearly $50 million domestically.

“Regretting You,” a tragicomedy starring Dave Franco, Alison Williams, Scott Eastwood and Thames, is the latest adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc,” $17.3 million

2. “Black Phone 2,” $13 million

3. “Regretting You,” $12.9 million

4. “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,” $9.1 million

5. “Tron: Ares,” $4.9 million

6. “Good Fortune,” $3.1 million

7. “Shelby Oaks,” $2.4 million

8. “One Battle After Another,” $2.3 million

9. “Roofman,” $2 million

10. “ParaNorman (Remastered),” $991,910